Grant: Applied Public Health Chair - LOI

Physical inactivity is a public health crisis in Canada. Active Canada 20/20 is a national strategy designed to engage decision makers and rally the collaborative, coordinated and consistent efforts of all stakeholders at every level to reverse the decline in population physical activity levels that have taken place over the generations in Canada. Evaluation of such national policies is often ignored but implementation evaluations are essential for their success. In collaboration with ParticipACTION, a national, not for profit, social marketing organization promoting physical activity and sport participation, my research programme will develop and implement a high quality program of population health intervention research for the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of Active Canada 20/20. The programme will consist of a series of interlinked and ongoing studies looking at dissemination of the strategy, its uptake by policymakers and practitioners, and case studies of a range of physical activity initiatives across Canada. Knowledge exchange with practitioners, researchers and decision makers is integrated within the research programme as are extensive opportunities for mentoring a new generation of scientists who will become leaders in physical activity and applied public health in Canada. My research will contribute new knowledge internationally in understanding the role of national strategies in promoting health behaviours, and how such strategies can be effectively implemented. Specifically, it will contribute to understanding of the potential of microgrants in enhancing community capacity to provide opportunities for physical activity, mass events in promoting physical activity, and provide exciting opportunities to assess the impact of future policy and programme decisions in creating the conditions conducive for Canadians to be more physically active.